Original Articles
Maduka Ignatius C, Osunbor Joa
Abstract
Primary or essential hypertension accounts for about 95-97% of cases of hypertension. It has no clear underlying etiology but appears to be as a result of interplay of complex genetic and environmental factors. Bisphenol A (BPA) is an industrial chemical used primarily in polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resins. Its exposure in humans is mainly through diet. BPA acts, through a variety of physiological receptors, such as genomic estrogen receptors 1 and 2, membrane-bound estrogen receptors, and alteration in blood pressure. This study was designed to examine Bisphenol A and estrogen levels in known hypertensive subjects by determining serum BPA, estrogen, and basic metabolic index (BMI). A total of 172 known hypertensive subjects (test group) from medical out-patient clinic, Central hospital, Benin City and 60 normotensive subjects (control groups) were recruited for this study. Serum estrogen and Bisphenol A were estimated using ELISA method. Level of significant was taken at p<0.05. Results showed that there was no statistical significant difference in the mean levels of BMI (P=0.351) and estrogen (p=0.884) in the test groups when compared with the control groups. BPA was significantly higher in hypertensive subjects (p=0.000) when compared with normotensive subjects. Significantly raised BPA was found in known hypertensive subjects compared with normotensive subjects, which indicates that, individuals with primary hypertension may have been exposed to high environmental Bisphenol A. BPA accumulation in blood may be a contributory factor or a result of primary hypertension.